Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson) NPA

Good morning. The first item of business is a Scottish Liberal Democrat Party debate on local services.09:15

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD) LD

I am glad to open the last Liberal Democrat debate of the session, on local services, and I will do so by nailing our colours firmly to the mast. Liberal Dem...

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

Can Mr Brown tell us where the Lib Dem approach to decentralisation was when the Lib Dems, in government, scrapped the area tourist boards and brought all to...

Robert Brown LD

It is fair to say that the proper approach to tourism provision has been a difficult and controversial issue for a number of years—there are no two ways abou...

The Minister for Community Safety (Fergus Ewing) SNP

Will Mr Brown give way?

Robert Brown LD

If the minister does not mind, I will make a little progress.Liberal Democrats argue today that the Gadarene rush to centralise everything that moves is flaw...

Fergus Ewing SNP

Robert Brown says that the SNP Government micromanages, but does he recall that it was the Labour-Liberal Administration that said that £6 million must be us...

Robert Brown LD

Yes it was and yes I do, but the policy did not come from our side of the coalition.On the police proposals, we are told that three options are on the table:...

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP

Will the member give way?

Robert Brown LD

I am happy to give way to Dave Thompson, so that he can explain his position on the matter.

Dave Thompson SNP

I thank the member. Does he accept that a consultation is going on? Has he read the consultation paper? Does he expect to contribute to the consultation?

Robert Brown LD

I think that Alison McInnes dealt satisfactorily with the matter in last Thursday’s debate, when she said:“the proposals for a national police force have no ...

The Presiding Officer NPA

You can have five more minutes, Mr Brown.

Robert Brown LD

Thank you.The consultation claims that there would be savings of between £81 million and £197 million. However, the Association of Chief Police Officers in S...

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab) Lab

Will Robert Brown take an intervention?

Robert Brown LD

Yes, all right.

George Foulkes Lab

Robert Brown is talking about the elderly. Does he support the policy announced by Tavish Scott to cut concessionary fares for the elderly?

Robert Brown LD

Sorry, I did not catch that. Cuts to what?

George Foulkes Lab

At the recent party conference, Robert Brown’s party leader said that the Liberal Democrats planned to cut concessionary fares for the elderly.

Robert Brown LD

That was not said at all. George Foulkes should follow what is said more carefully.Let us return to the SNP. At no point in the past four years, despite the ...

The Minister for Public Health and Sport (Shona Robison) SNP

Will the member give way on that point?

Robert Brown LD

No—I should continue towards finality, as members will be glad to hear.The plan leaves 38,500 social workers in limbo, with the prospect of transfer at some ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill) SNP

I begin by reminding members that we are currently consulting on police and fire reform, and that both consultations are founded on an approach that protects...

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD) LD

In previous debates, not least the debate in the chamber last week, the cabinet secretary has made it clear that his preference is for a single force for Sco...

Kenny MacAskill SNP

I have not said that my preference is for a single force. I have said that the argument for that clearly has greater weight at the moment than the regional f...

Robert Brown LD

Will the cabinet secretary explain to the Parliament why the consultation follows evidence gathering by the officers he mentioned rather than precedes it, wh...

Kenny MacAskill SNP

Well, the matters are on-going. Additional evidence was produced by Karyn McCluskey and, indeed, by Deputy Chief Constable Steve Allen of Lothian and Borders...

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD) LD

The cabinet secretary talked about community planning. Does he agree that the police and, indeed, the fire service are key members of the family of community...

Kenny MacAskill SNP

Not at all. After all, once the consultation has been considered and is concluded, it will be passed to the Christie commission. There is clear acceptance th...

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD) LD

The cabinet secretary mentioned people coming together. Is it not already the case that all over Scotland, officers—whether in our police or our fire service...